BIO MAP, a four institution consortium of Howard Community College, Prince George's Community College, Montgomery College (both the Rockville and Takoma Park campuses), and the University of Maryland at College Park have addressed the major causes of under representation in the biomedical sciences by disadvantaged students including a high percentage of underrepresented minority students, through the BIO MAP program by: * instituting a coordinated recruitment program aimed at providing encouragement and tangible incentives for a group of previously ignored community college students; * easing the transition along the various stages of the academic pipeline * creating programs geared to ensuring academic success and thus providing the required confidence and motivation for these students; * providing adequate opportunities for disadvantaged student participation in science-related activities including research; * providing financial support and professional role models/mentors/advisers for this student population.